Petrolati’s attorney: Ware has ‘unchecked’ powers

Attorney John P. Pucci of Northampton says the Supreme Judicial Court should put limits on the “complete and unchecked discretion” given to independent counsel Paul F. Ware Jr. as he probes allegations of misconduct in the Probation Department.

In a reply filed with the court Friday, Sept. 10, Pucci asserts that quashing Ware’s subpoena of his client, state Rep. Thomas M. Petrolati, D-Ludlow, would be a “modest step” to curbing Ware’s “uncharted” exercise of power.

Alternatively, he says, Ware should be required to produce an interim report for the court so that it can determine whether the subpoena is truly “necessary or desirable” to his investigation.

Pucci and Ware are scheduled to give oral arguments before the SJC tomorrow morning.